- 
        
00:00:02
        - Today on Crossroads,
Paco gets into a bar fight.
       
    
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00:00:07
        - You didn't see
that coming, did you?
       
    
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00:00:09
        You ever been in a bar fight?
       
    
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00:00:11
        Me neither.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:12
        And in fact, this isn't
even about bar fights,
       
    
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00:00:14
        this isn't even about bars.
       
    
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00:00:16
        This is about Jesus showing up
       
    
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00:00:18
        in the most unexpected places.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:22
        - Hey, bud, what's wrong?
       
    
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00:00:25
        - I'm not the only one.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:26
        - You're not the only one what?
       
    
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00:00:28
        - That Jesus loves.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:29
        - Well, yeah. He loves
everybody. That's okay.
       
    
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00:00:33
        - I'm John. Nice to meet you.
       
    
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00:00:34
        You may have heard of me,
       
    
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00:00:35
        I'm kind of Jesus's
best friend. No big deal.
       
    
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00:00:38
        In the past week, I've watched
       
    
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00:00:39
        every single Marvel movie,
every single DC movie,
       
    
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00:00:42
        and also Star Wars.
       
    
      - 
        
00:00:44
        By the way, that part,
when Luke finds out
       
    
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00:00:45
        who his dad was, crazy.
       
    
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00:00:48
        Almost as crazy when I
found out who Jesus's dad was.
       
    
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00:00:52
        Rough day for Joseph.
       
    
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00:00:53
        But Jesus could also
call you out on your crap.
       
    
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00:00:56
        One time in Samaria, Jesus
met this woman at a well
       
    
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00:00:59
        and let's just say
she'd been pretty social.
       
    
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00:01:03
        Rather than condemning
her for her past,
       
    
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        Jesus sat down with
her and talked with her
       
    
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        and showed her how
to live a better way.
       
    
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        Kind of like Yoda. [tone]
       
    
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00:01:13
        - That story doesn't mean
that Jesus doesn't love you.
       
    
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00:01:15
        He does. You're special.
Come on. You know that.
       
    
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00:01:19
        - That's what mom always says.
- Yeah.
       
    
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        - Just that He thinks
everyone's special
       
    
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        and He loves everyone
       
    
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        and there's nothing
He wouldn't do
       
    
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        and nowhere He
wouldn't go to help anyone,
       
    
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00:01:31
        even like go to a bar.
       
    
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00:01:32
        - And that's what Paco's
going to talk about right now.
       
    
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00:01:35
        - There's my guy. Come
on. Come on. Yeah.
       
    
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00:01:39
        - What is Jesus like?
       
    
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00:01:41
        You think He'd like it here?
       
    
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00:01:43
        I know I wouldn't have
chosen this location.
       
    
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00:01:44
        I don't even like bars really.
       
    
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00:01:46
        And it's not because
I'm anti alcohol,
       
    
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        I'm just anti-overpaying
       
    
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00:01:49
        for subpar drinks in
crowded environments.
       
    
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00:01:52
        But I have learned a life
hack, though, in my old age.
       
    
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00:01:54
        Come to the bar at off hours.
       
    
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00:01:57
        Tuesday at 4:00 you get
the same overpriced drinks,
       
    
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00:02:01
        but more elbow room.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:03
        Now you don't show
up to a bar on accident,
       
    
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00:02:04
        something brings you there.
       
    
      - 
        
00:02:06
        Whether it's a breakup,
whether it's to meet people,
       
    
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00:02:08
        whether it's to
celebrate something.
       
    
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        Something brings
you to places like this.
       
    
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        And often times, unexpected
relationships happen
       
    
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        in environments like this.
       
    
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00:02:16
        And today, we're going to
explore a story in scripture
       
    
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        where Jesus has this
interaction with a woman
       
    
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00:02:23
        who is not expecting
this interaction,
       
    
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        and she ends up with
some unexpected freedom.
       
    
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00:02:28
        It's an unexpected place
with an unexpected person
       
    
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        and an unexpected result.
       
    
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00:02:32
        And the passage of
we're going to break down
       
    
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        in John 4 today
is going to show us
       
    
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        something about Jesus
that we all need now
       
    
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        in our world more than ever.
       
    
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        The principle in the passage
might be the missing link
       
    
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        that you and I need
to grow our faith
       
    
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        and grow the church.
       
    
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        - And actually, before
we get started with Paco,
       
    
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        I want to talk about
giving really quick,
       
    
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        because everything at
Crossroads is funded by givers,
       
    
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00:02:56
        people just like you
and me, who step in
       
    
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00:02:57
        to make sure that more
people can hear this message.
       
    
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        By the way, about 10% of people
       
    
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00:03:01
        who watch this
episode will do that.
       
    
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00:03:03
        That's not to guilt
trip you by any means,
       
    
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00:03:06
        just to say there's
an opportunity,
       
    
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00:03:08
        if you want to to step
in and help more people
       
    
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00:03:10
        hear this life changing
message. Here's Paco.
       
    
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00:03:15
        - All right, it's
John Chapter four.
       
    
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00:03:16
        Let me set the context of
where this story takes place.
       
    
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00:03:19
        This story takes place at a well
       
    
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00:03:21
        in the middle of the day with
a woman who's a Samaritan.
       
    
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00:03:26
        Now, why is this unexpected?
       
    
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00:03:27
        Well, culturally, rabbis,
Jesus was a rabbi,
       
    
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00:03:31
        didn't really mess around
with pailing water at the well.
       
    
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00:03:33
        Secondly, it's the
middle of the day.
       
    
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00:03:35
        You wouldn't have been at a well
       
    
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00:03:36
        in the middle of the
day anyway. It's hot.
       
    
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00:03:38
        You should have already
had your day started.
       
    
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00:03:40
        Third, He has this
interaction with a woman.
       
    
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00:03:42
        Now we've come a long way
       
    
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        in our male to
female interactions.
       
    
      - 
        
00:03:45
        Don't get me wrong.
       
    
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00:03:46
        Back then, they had not come
as far as we've come today.
       
    
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00:03:49
        So men and women
didn't really interact
       
    
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00:03:50
        in public like that.
       
    
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00:03:51
        And lastly, this woman,
she's a Samaritan.
       
    
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00:03:56
        That means she's
half Jew, half gentile.
       
    
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00:03:58
        She would have been a sworn
enemy to a Jewish person.
       
    
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00:04:03
        And so in verse
seven, we pick this up
       
    
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00:04:05
        where Jesus is on a
trip with His disciples,
       
    
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00:04:07
        and they stop at this well.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:09
        Jesus sends them on a food run.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:11
        He goes, Look,
the delivery service
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:12
        over here is terrible.
Go do some pickup,
       
    
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00:04:14
        do some carryout, get some
fish sandwiches or whatever.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:16
        Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:17
        So disciples head over
there to do the thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:19
        As Jesus is taking a
break, this Samaritan woman
       
    
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00:04:21
        comes and has this
interaction with Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:24
        Jesus sees her and goes,
"Hey, can you give me a drink?"
       
    
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00:04:28
        And the woman is
looking around going,
       
    
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00:04:30
        "He can't be talking -- I
guess He is talking to me.
       
    
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00:04:32
        I'm the only other person here."
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:34
        First time she
says this, she says:
       
    
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00:04:43
        Jesus is looking at
her going, "Okay, cool.
       
    
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00:04:46
        If you would have asked Me,
       
    
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00:04:48
        I would have given
you something better."
       
    
      - 
        
00:04:49
        Here's what he
says in verse ten.
       
    
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00:05:01
        This woman's
looking at Jesus going,
       
    
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00:05:03
        "Living water. What is
He even talking about?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:05
        She says back
to Him in verse 11:
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:22
        She's looking at Jesus
going, "Living water.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:23
        What are you talking about?
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:25
        You don't even have a
bucket. What are you saying?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:27
        Jesus replied to
her in verse 13:
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:44
        Jesus ups the ante
in this conversation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:46
        He goes, "Listen, lady,
you're talking about water
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:48
        in a well, I'm talking about
water in your existence,
       
    
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00:05:52
        in your spirit.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:53
        I'm talking about living water
       
    
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00:05:55
        that will well up
to eternal life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:57
        I'm talking about different
stuff than you are."
       
    
      - 
        
00:05:59
        And this woman,
it's important to know,
       
    
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00:06:02
        that she is definitely a loner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:05
        Why do we know she's a loner?
       
    
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00:06:06
        Well, we know she's a
loner because she's coming
       
    
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00:06:08
        to a well in the middle
of the day to get water.
       
    
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00:06:12
        It's hard for us to
understand this because
       
    
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00:06:14
        we live in this
cultural phenomenon
       
    
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00:06:16
        called running water,
where we turn a faucet on
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:18
        whatever time it is and
we get water out of it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:20
        Well, back in ancient
times, it wasn't like that.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:22
        You had to get up early,
       
    
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00:06:23
        you had to get your
buckets together.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:24
        You had to go to
the nearest well.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:26
        You had to get all the water.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:27
        And all of the village
would come kind of together
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:29
        because they were
all trying to get there
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:31
        before it got super hot.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:32
        Well, this lady shows up
in the middle of the day,
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:34
        so clearly she is
uncomfortable with being
       
    
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00:06:37
        in the crowd of
the other villagers
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:39
        getting water in the morning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:40
        Or maybe they've shunned her.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:42
        Or maybe she's just too
ashamed to show her face.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:45
        Whatever it might
be, she's a loner.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:47
        And there's something
about the way
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:48
        that Jesus is treating her
that sparks her interest.
       
    
      - 
        
00:06:53
        So in verse 15, she says this:
       
    
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00:07:00
        Jesus hears that and
he goes, "Okay, cool.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:02
        You asked for it. Here we go."
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:21
        She's had five husbands
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:22
        and the guy she's with
now is not her husband.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:25
        Could you imagine the shame?
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:26
        No one likes getting
called out, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:28
        And Jesus calls it out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:30
        It's easy to put all the
blame on the woman here
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:32
        in this situation because,
like, you know, you think,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:34
        "Well, she's had five husbands
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:36
        and the guy she's
with is not her husband,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:37
        she's clearly loose."
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:38
        Yeah, that might be true.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:40
        But it's important
to know culturally,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:41
        she would have had
to have been married
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:43
        and/or maybe even sold
into marriage to survive.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:48
        Jesus isn't just calling
her out personally here,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:51
        He's recognizing her pain.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:53
        He's recognizing that, yeah,
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:54
        there's some decisions
that she's probably made
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:56
        along the way that would
leave her in this situation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:07:59
        But there's also
decisions culturally that
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:01
        have been made that
have put her in this situation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:04
        And when Jesus calls her out,
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:08
        she has this moment
of breakthrough where
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:10
        she realizes Jesus is
different than all the others.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:13
        Verse 19:
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:50
        She starts to have this
religious conversation
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:52
        with Jesus about like,
"Where should we worship?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:54
        Should it be on a mountain?
Should it be in a temple?
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:56
        Should it be over here
or over there?"
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:57
        Jesus says, "Listen, listen.
       
    
      - 
        
00:08:58
        You're having the
wrong conversation, lady,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:00
        because God is Spirit.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:02
        And if we're going
to worship God,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:03
        we've got to worship
Him in spirit and in truth.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:07
        See all the stuff that
you're experiencing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:08
        Yeah, that's all good
and fine culturally.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:10
        But I'm Jesus, I'm
calling you to more."
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:13
        And the woman said
to Him in verse 25:
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:20
        He'll make all of this
make sense to us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:23
        Jesus says to her, Yeah,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:24
        that Messiah you're looking for,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:27
        "I who speak to you am He."
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:29
        Jesus says, "Yeah, yeah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:31
        The person that you're
looking for for answers,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:33
        the person you're trying
to make sense of your life,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:35
        the person who is the
person you're hoping for,
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:39
        I'm that guy."
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:40
        He says, "Hey, hey, hey.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:41
        You're looking for deliverance?
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:43
        That's where
you'll find it in me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:44
        Hey, you're looking for
hope. You'll find it in me.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:47
        Hey, you're looking for purpose.
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:48
        You're looking to take
some of the shame
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:50
        and guilt off of
your life. I am He."
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:54
        Now, could you imagine
what this woman is doing
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:57
        right now in her head?
       
    
      - 
        
00:09:58
        She came up here like on
a regular day to get water
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:01
        and go back to her regular life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:03
        And she has this moment
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:04
        with the son of
God in the flesh.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:08
        Can you imagine, like,
what's happening in her head?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:12
        And then just as
that's happening,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:13
        the disciples come
back from their food run.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:15
        They got the fish
sandwiches, like, what's up?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:18
        And the woman
is talking to Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:21
        And the guys, the disciples
see them interacting
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:24
        and they're like,
well, this is weird.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:25
        They look at Jesus like,
well, Jesus doesn't look fazed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:29
        Now imagine what the
woman is thinking, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:31
        She's having this
moment with Jesus here
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:34
        and having this breakthrough.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:35
        And then these
other guys come over
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:37
        and now she's like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:38
        "I'm not supposed to be
interacting with people.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:42
        I'm supposed to be
here by myself. I --"
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:44
        All the guilt, all the shame,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:46
        all the stuff starts coming,
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:47
        and she does something
that's absolutely incredible.
       
    
      - 
        
00:10:49
        Verse 29:
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:00
        The people went out of the town,
and they were coming to Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:02
        This woman at that
moment takes her jug,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:05
        puts it down and
says, "You know,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:07
        I don't need to do
this alone anymore.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:09
        I got to go tell people
about this living water.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:11
        This water is cool for now,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:12
        but there's living water now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:13
        I'm going to go tell people
about this living water."
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:16
        She takes off in
the town and goes,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:17
        "You've got to
come meet this guy."
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:19
        Now, what is this
all have to do with
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:22
        the character of Jesus?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:23
        What does this show us
about what Jesus was like?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:27
        Well, I think it shows
us a lot of stuff, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:30
        I mean, Jesus can redeem us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:31
        Jesus can give us
hope, all of that stuff.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:33
        But I'm going to say
the number one thing
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:35
        that this passage shows us
about what Jesus was like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:38
        and I bet when I say it
you are going to eyeroll,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:44
        either eye roll this
way or eye roll that way.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:47
        Jesus, in this moment with
all of this stuff happening,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:50
        all of this breakthrough
starts because
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:52
        Jesus, He was kind.
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:55
        Yeah, I know. Here
come the eye rolls. Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:57
        When you say the
word kindness today,
       
    
      - 
        
00:11:58
        you shift in the two
major camps. Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:00
        We have really bad
cultural examples
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:02
        of what kindness means. Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:03
        Because one camp is
over here and they're, like,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:05
        "Yeah, kindness. That
means like tolerance
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:07
        and flattery and
being a pushover
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:09
        and people pleasing
and being soft."
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:10
        And then the other
side of the spectrum,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:12
        you've got people like,
"Yeah, kindness, woo.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:14
        It's my hall pass to call
everyone out at all times,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:17
        no matter what in
the name of kindness."
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:19
        Both camps are wrong.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:22
        See both camps are operating
at a place of selfishness
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:24
        and/or maybe even
self preservation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:27
        If you and I are
going to follow Jesus,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:32
        He calls us to kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:34
        - Over the past two
years of the pandemic,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:36
        more than half of all educators
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:38
        have considered
quitting their jobs.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:41
        Yet they've responded
to these challenging times
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:43
        in many courageous ways.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:45
        And despite uncertainty,
exhaustion and discouragement,
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:49
        they've continued
to provide safe
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:51
        and encouraging
learning environments
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:52
        for their students,
impacting the lives
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:55
        of thousands in
the next generation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:57
        We see you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:12:59
        We applaud you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:00
        We are grateful for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:08
        Join us this spring
when for one week
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:11
        we'll pack ourselves a
brown bag lunch every day
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:13
        and give the money we
save from not eating out
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:16
        straight to hard
working educators.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:20
        Go to Crossroads.net/educators
for more info.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:24
        This is for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:27
        - Pretty cool, right?
- Yeah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:29
        - We're just going
to help our educators.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:30
        - I love that. If we ever
forgot to pack our lunch,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:32
        Jesus had to, like,
make some bread and,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:34
        like, bless it. It was crazy.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:35
        - Yeah. And if you
want to be part of it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:37
        you can get all the details
at Crossroads.net/educators.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:40
        - Yeah, it seems like Crossroads
is doing a lot of good
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:42
        and a lot of life change
is happening around here.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:45
        Here's actually something
I just heard about recently.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:47
        Check it out.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:48
        - Nelson Mandela said:
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:50
        Education is the
most powerful weapon
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:52
        which you can use
to change the world.
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:54
        We've been partnering
with Build the Future
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:56
        in South Africa for
the last 15 years
       
    
      - 
        
00:13:58
        where their focus is
providing educational services
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:01
        and nutrition to children in
impoverished communities.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:05
        One of the largest problems
that communities face
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:07
        is a lack of resources.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:08
        Build the Future, helps
the people they serve
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:10
        get the most out of
the land around them.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:13
        You'll find Build the Future
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:14
        where the streets have no names
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:16
        and the people are forgotten.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:20
        - In 2014, we put
our first school here
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:24
        and we started with seven
kids in a small container.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:28
        And it was always about taking
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:31
        as many kids off the street
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:33
        and putting them in an
environment like this where
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:37
        they were going to be fed
healthy, nutritious meals,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:40
        where they were
going to be protected,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:43
        where they were going to
get really good education.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:45
        And it was going
to be a place where
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:49
        from that foundation,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:51
        they would be launched
into primary school.
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:55
        And right from the beginning,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:56
        when when I first got
involved in community work,
       
    
      - 
        
00:14:59
        it was always the
kids that suffer.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:01
        And it was, how can we
make an impact in these kids?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:04
        How do we get these
kids off the streets?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:06
        And that was the
reason for the school.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:09
        It was how do we get
the kids off the street,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:11
        educated and fed?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:13
        And the two come together
and make the difference.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:16
        - It is the relationship
with the teachers
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:19
        and their stories,
how they are lives
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:21
        that have come out
of this community
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:23
        started out as just
a helper, you know,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:27
        became a teacher,
now she's the principal.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:29
        And that's Elizabeth's
story. Right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:30
        And so it is about
the relationships.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:33
        - From Kya Sand in
Johannesburg to Soweto,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:37
        one of the big things,
apart from the financial aid,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:40
        is the groups that come out
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:42
        and the trips that
come to South Africa.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:46
        The folks on the
trips are blessed
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:48
        and they take away something.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:50
        And the people here are blessed.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:52
        Simply put, as you
know the Scripture,
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:55
        the fields are ready to harvest
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:57
        and the laborers are few.
       
    
      - 
        
00:15:58
        If that wasn't the case,
I'd see more vehicles
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:01
        like mine doing stuff,
and that's the bottom line.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:03
        It changes your life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:05
        And this is more
than a vocation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:07
        It's more of a calling
than anything else.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:10
        There's nothing
like planting a seed
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:13
        and seeing it grow and
watering it and nurturing it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:16
        And when you get the
response from the children,
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:19
        that's ridiculous.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:20
        Small steps and you look back
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:22
        and we've made quite
an impact, I would say.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:35
        - So kindness. Right/
It's a polarizing term.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:38
        It might be a vague term,
but Jesus really models
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:41
        what kindness is in this
interaction with this woman.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:44
        See, Jesus's kindness
calms the noise.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:47
        This lady was dealing
with all kinds of societal
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:49
        and cultural norms and they
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:51
        were super loud and
it caused her to kind of
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:53
        box herself in because
it was really loud
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:56
        all the voices all around her.
       
    
      - 
        
00:16:58
        Jesus, before He
does any preaching
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:00
        or gives her a great lecture,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:01
        He converses
with her as an equal
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:03
        and it immediately establishes
care and connection.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:07
        Now. I love a good
religious combo
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:08
        as much as the next person.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:10
        But Jesus doesn't start
there with this woman.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:13
        He starts with connection
and it calms all the noise
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:16
        and all the rhetoric
so that she could hear
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:18
        and experience His kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:19
        Second thing is
kindness is clear.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:21
        Jesus was super clear.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:23
        He calls out the issues
this woman has in verse 16,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:26
        and He makes the
claim, "I am the Messiah.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:29
        I am the living water."
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:31
        And the third thing Jesus
does here is creates freedom.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:35
        See, kindness creates freedom.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:37
        Shame and guilt in our
past often times puts us
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:40
        in shackles and,
like, binds us to stuff.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:43
        And this woman, she had
kind of accepted her reality
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:45
        of like, "This is just
going to be my existence.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:47
        I'm going to come out
here alone every day.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:49
        I'm going to carry a
giant jug of water back."
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:51
        But after this interaction
with Jesus, verse 28,
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:54
        she drops her jar. She
drops her big, huge bucket.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:58
        She says, "I don't
need this anymore.
       
    
      - 
        
00:17:59
        I've got living water now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:01
        I'm not bound to this anymore.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:03
        I've got this living
water inside of me."
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:05
        Now, why did she do that?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:06
        Because she had met Jesus
and it changed everything.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:09
        The spot where she
felt the most shame
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:11
        is the exact spot
where Jesus met her
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:13
        and His kindness
transformed her.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:17
        So to answer the question,
What is Jesus like?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:20
        He's kind,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:21
        and His kindness calls
you to something better.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:24
        Jesus was kind to her,
and He's kind to you, too.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:27
        Here's how the rest of the
story plays out. Verse 42:
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:30
        The people in the
village said to the woman,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:43
        This woman accepts Jesus's
kindness and it changes her.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:47
        And from an outflow
of that, it changes
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:49
        everyone she
comes in contact with.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:52
        Now the church is in
a unique spot, right?
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:54
        Especially right now in the US.
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:56
        If we want to see more
people exploring faith in Jesus,
       
    
      - 
        
00:18:59
        more people will
transform by Him,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:01
        it's not going to
because we have sweet,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:04
        awesome social pages and
over-the-top extravaganzas
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:07
        and awesome marketing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:09
        It's going to be because
they see our kindness
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:12
        toward each other, the way
Jesus has been kind to us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:15
        We should be doing
everything we can
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:17
        to reach new people,
but it's got to start
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:19
        from a place of
God being kind to us
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:23
        and Jesus transforming
us through that kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:25
        We only have the ability
to show this kindness
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:27
        because it's been shown to us.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:28
        It's from an outflow,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:30
        it's from an
overflow of the heart
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:31
        that's been changed
by the gospel
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:33
        and knows it's been given grace.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:35
        And this has been God's
way of doing things all along.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:38
        God has been kind
since the very beginning.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:40
        He was kind in Creation.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:42
        He was kind in the Fall.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:44
        He was kind during the Flood.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:46
        He was kind to guys like Paul,
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:49
        people in the early church.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:50
        He's been kind all throughout
history, even now today.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:53
        Anybody who has done
anything good in the world
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:56
        has experienced God's kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:19:59
        Anyone who's done
anything good in the world
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:02
        in the name of Jesus
has done that because
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:04
        they have experienced
God's kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:07
        In the book of Romans,
the writer puts it like this,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:09
        says that God's kindness
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:13
        is meant to lead
us to repentance.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:14
        It's meant to lead us
to turn from our ways
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:16
        and go to Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:18
        I've seen that to
be true in my life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:20
        My relationship with
Jesus is a result of
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:23
        His patience, His love
and His kindness to me,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:26
        even when I don't deserve it.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:29
        And the best
news of all of this is
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:31
        you can have that too.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:32
        You can experience
the kindness of Jesus.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:34
        Maybe you've been
burned by unkind people,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:36
        and somehow in your head
you've you put it together
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:39
        that, like, Jesus is going
to be unkind to you too,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:42
        so you want to kind
of shy away from Him.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:45
        I want you to take a
note from this woman:
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:47
        Jesus will meet you in the
most unexpected places,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:49
        and His kindness can
and will transform you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:53
        So maybe it's time for
you today, even right now,
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:55
        to experience maybe
for the first time
       
    
      - 
        
00:20:58
        what living water is like.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:01
        Well, I want to pray for you
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:02
        because Jesus wants
to come meet you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:04
        Jesus wants to come meet you,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:05
        He wants to set you
free from the baggage
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:06
        and the shame and the
guilt that you've experienced.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:09
        He wants to put something
inside of you, living water,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:11
        that will transform your life
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:13
        and the life of
those around you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:14
        And it all starts
with His kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:16
        Let me pray for you.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:17
        God, thank You
for Your kindness.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:19
        Thank You that it is Your
kindness that leads us to You.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:23
        I thank You that You
don't scold us or shame us
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:26
        or guilt us, God, that
You calm the noise,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:29
        that You're clear in
what You're calling us to.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:31
        God, we know that what
You're calling us to is freedom.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:34
        So, God, I pray for freedom for
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:36
        all those experiencing
this right now.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:38
        And I pray that Your living
water would fill them up,
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:40
        God, and that it would
well up in them eternal life.
       
    
      - 
        
00:21:43
        Amen.
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:57
        - As you watch this episode,
if you have any questions,
       
    
      - 
        
00:25:59
        feel free to mail
me a letter at my house.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:01
        My mom will get it,
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:02
        but I'll make sure
to read it right away.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:03
        - No, no, just chat
with us on our website.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:05
        Just do that.
- Oh, yeah, Crossroads Net.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:07
        - Crossroads.net,
actually. Yeah. Sure.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:09
        Which is also, by the
way, where you can give.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:11
        And I know giving
is a strange thing.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:13
        I used to feel like,
where does the money go
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:15
        and why would it do
this in the first place?
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:17
        It was very confusing
until I understood that
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:19
        it's a core part
of -- thank you --
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:22
        following and trusting God.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:23
        If you want to take a step
forward, Crossroads.net/give.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:26
        - Great. And in a couple
of weeks come join us
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:28
        and we will give
your mother a horse.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:31
        Not a personal one,
just one to share.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:33
        Mother's Day is coming up
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:34
        and we have a huge
weekend planned.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:35
        Check it out and we'll see
you next time on Crossroads.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:38
        I love saying that.
- I know. I know.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:44
        - Come see one of the
most memorable experiences
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:47
        you'll have in your lifetime.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:51
        Where we witness
unbridled raw power.
       
    
      - 
        
00:26:54
        Come face to face with
a desire to help it thrive.
       
    
      - 
        
00:27:00
        Living to your potential
requires learning that you were
       
    
      - 
        
00:27:03
        created to be free.